Latest news with #Bengalureans
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Sunday Read: Tow & behold
Bengaluru Namma Bengaluru Foundation There will be no harasment or bribery this time. To ensure transparency, the department will use its own vehicles and traffic police personnel for towing operations. No new guidelines are required – B Dayananda, Police Commissioner The announcement of towing resuming in Bengaluru to decongest traffic has sparked sharp criticism and mixed reactions from citizens, with many raising concerns over past misuse, corruption, and harassment. While the civic body insists the move is aimed at curbing illegal parking and improving traffic flow, Bengaluru residents worry it could revive what they describe as a 'towing mafia.'The towing system, previously discontinued following widespread complaints in 2022, is now set to make a comeback. Instead of outsourcing the task to third-party tow contractors, the towing will be carried out by police vehicles and personnel, Home Minister G Parameshwara stated in a recent meeting. He explained that 19 places across the city face severe problems during rains, including eight that experience high levels of traffic insist that the reinstated towing system is purely aimed at easing traffic congestion caused by wrongful parking. 'There will be no harassment or bribery this ensure transparency, the department will use its own vehicles and traffic police personnel for towing operations. No new guidelines are required, and only parking fines will be levied,' said City Police Commissioner B Dayananda. However, the assurance hasn't convinced everyone.'Bringing back towing is like opening the gates for bribery again. Last time, they towed cars even from legal parking zones and demanded cash on the spot,' said a resident of Koramangala. 'It's not about discipline anymore, it becomes a business.'Several Bengalureans took to social media to express their displeasure, calling it a step backwards. In X (formerly Twitter), Bhaskar Rao, former IPS and Commissioner of police, Bengaluru, posted, 'Bengaluru city has no parking policy, no footpath pedestrians policy and no street vendors and Hawking Policy. By bringing back the towing mafia, fear, threat, bribery, and harassment will also return. Poor street design and mismanaged urban planning are taking a toll on ordinary, law-abiding citizens, now left at the mercy of aggressive towing squads. @CMofKarnataka should intervene to prevent harassment of citizens.'Is this the #BrandBengaluru we aspire to?' asked Citizen Matters, a civic-focused organisation. 'Instead of unleashing the towing mafia, the Chief Minister must focus on real reforms: publish and implement a comprehensive, participatory Urban Mobility and Public Space Policy; decriminalise survival by legalising and regulating street vending; and adopt a 'build first, enforce later' approach by creating infrastructure before penalising its absence. Law-abiding citizens should not be terrorised for the government's shortcomings. Fix the system—don't scapegoat the people.'Meanwhile, another user stated, 'Now we're supporting the worst kind of people? Those who illegally park vehicles on roads! I have driven cars for 15 years now in Bengaluru, and never have any of them been towed. Not even a ticket. I welcome the Police instilling the fear of towing on these lawbreakers.'Urban mobility experts agree that illegal parking is a serious concern that must be addressed. 'Urban towing is necessary to manage city traffic, but its success depends on a transparent process, well-defined policies, appropriate fines, and strict enforcement in no-tolerance zones such as traffic junctions, bus stops, and metro stations,' said Vinod Jacob of. 'However, a major part of the problem stems from private tour operators and yellow cabs. There needs to be a targeted solution to address their parking challenges.'However, over 2.19 lakh wrong parking cases have been reported till April this year, underscoring the severity of the city's traffic congestion issues. Authorities claim the revived towing system is a necessary step to address this. While some hope the revised system will bring order to chaotic roads, many fear it could lead to renewed harassment, bribery, and inconvenience unless strict oversight is ensured.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Many Bengalureans are trying digital fasting
Dr Sparsha S Vasisht Bengalureans who keep their gadgets away say they feel happier when they do that Gadgets outnumber people in most Bengaluru homes. The average daily screen time of Bengalureans is eight hours, says Manoj Sharma of Nimhans who has done extensive studies on gadget addiction. The situation is concerning. Sharma, who oversees the SHUT (Service for Healthy Use of Technology) Clinic at Nimhans, says they attend to about 20 cases every week. The growing addiction to electronic devices among children has also become a significant concern. Following Nimhans' recent introduction of an online support group for parents, over 400 people have joined seeking assistance. Most of them required advice on addressing their children's gaming-related challenges. Many today spend one-third of their waking hours staring at screens. Complete disconnection from electronic devices seems impractical. Our daily activities, from purchasing household essentials to maintaining social connections and unwinding after a hard day at work, heavily rely on technology. Ditching gadgets could make us feel lonely and create practical challenges. Nonetheless, many are now realising that electronic devices can only offer synthetic happiness. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với sàn môi giới tin cậy IC Markets Tìm hiểu thêm Undo They are limiting their device usage with some even opting for simpler mobile phones. And they say they are happier now. Unplug and reconnect with yourself When 41-year-old Ramya Shripathi first heard about digital detox, she thought it was impossible to disconnect from screens. 'I had tried deleting WhatsApp but then realised it was useful especially for official communication or kid's school-related communication,' she says. Meanwhile, the constant buzzing in groups would leave her anxious, wanting to check her phone again and again, to the point of making her feel miserable and helpless. It took Ramya a lot of effort to reclaim her life. Ever since she became a life coach, she has been practising digital detox and noticing the benefits of screen-free time. N Ramakrishnan vouches for it too. A resident of One Bangalore West Apartment in Rajajinagar, Ramakrishnan has reduced his daily screen time from 12 to two hours. The 73-year-old had worked in the IT sector for many years, where long hours in front of computer screens were routine. Additional exposure to television, mobile phones, and laptops further increased screen dependency. After moving to the gated community and being elected as president of the residents' association, he found ways to get away from gadgets and keep himself occupied. 'I invested effort in understanding the intricacies of residential complex management. This led to an increased focus on outdoor activities. I started learning tennis and encouraged others to learn badminton, cricket and other outdoor activities. I also created a group for sloka chanting and another for musical activities that have fostered a community spirit,' he says. Remedies for pathological trading and porn addiction One of Sharma's patients suffered substantial losses due to compulsive online trading activities. The patient's family sought help. He was asked to use a basic phone instead of a smartphone. 'It really worked. The basic phone reduced his access to trading, controlled his urges to browse, and helped him recover from the addiction,' Sharma recalls. Another case involved a young adult seeking assistance for pornography addiction. The addiction began affecting both his personal and work life significantly. 'He used pornography as a coping mechanism to improve his emotional state. Despite addressing the psychological aspects through counselling sessions, he continued to report strong cravings and difficulty in controlling his urges,' recalls Sharma. He then decided to implement a more fundamental approach – restrict the patient's access to such content by recommending a basic phone with minimal features. That helped the patient overcome the porn addiction and take back control of his life. 'He even started engaging in other activities that improved his productivity and overall feeling of well-being,' says Sharma. The crucial factor in digital detoxing, Sharma says, is identifying specific triggers. 'These could be feelings of loneliness, excess free time, easy access to technology, or other psychological conditions. Once these triggers and their associations are recognised, appropriate coping mechanisms can be employed,' he says. VOICE BOX 'Leaders should make offline life more meaningful, vibrant' I've brought down my average screen time to just 90 minutes a day. Dr Sparsha S Vasisht I delivered my daughter six months ago. I've kept all gadgets including my phone away since pregnancy. It allows me to give more attention to my baby and keep myself and her radiation free. Nowadays, I use my phone only if my patients need me to attend to them. I am mindful of my social media usage as well. Dr Sparsha S Vasisht, RESIDENT, MALLESWARAM People should seek help when electronic devices become an overwhelming focus in their daily routines, hindering their ability to operate without them. Manoj Sharma The constant preoccupation with devices could also result in various negative outcomes including health problems, physical exhaustion, reduced productivity, or strained family relationships. When these indicators appear, one should either implement personal digital detox strategies or obtain professional assistance. Manoj Sharma, Coordinator, SHUT (Service for Healthy Use of Technology) Clinic, NIMHANS. During my juggle between heavy academic reading, household responsibilities, raising teenagers and preparing lessons, brief Instagram breaks provided momentary escape. However, as I noticed signs of dependency, I sought methods to reduce its usage. Ikrook Chamba I changed my Instagram app's name to restrict my access. Now I don't even know how the app is renamed on my phone. The reduction in device usage sharpened my concentration. It has also led to improved sleep quality and better overall wellbeing. Ikroop Chamba, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, CHRIST UNIVERSITY By silencing app notifications and letting go of the need to respond immediately to messages and calls, I have reduced anxiety and improved my sleep. I don't keep any gadgets in my bedroom. Ramya Shripathy I also prioritise mindful moments – eating without gadgets, taking mindful walks, or just being with my thoughts. I have learnt to appreciate the beauty of solitude. Morning journaling has enhanced my creativity and I make time for activities like reading and doodling. Ramya Shripathi, LIFE COACH, KORAMANGALA Reducing screen time takes a lot of discipline. I have managed to reduce it from 12 hours to two hours. Keep yourself occupied so you don't feel tempted to get hooked to your gadgets. Now I work with the sustainability committee, particularly focussing on water conservation and waste management. Residents are guided on wet waste composting, with the resulting compost being utilised to grow vegetables and greens on balconies. N Ramakrishnan We exchange plants and seeds and collect old clothes and shoes to be donated to the underprivileged. I encourage residents to use intercoms and participate in face-to-face conversations within common areas, rather than depending on messaging. Walking and networking have further promoted understanding of the challenges and requirements faced by community members, assisting in providing timely support. All these have been made possible as I made a conscious decision to reduce my screen time. N Ramakrishnan, 73, RESIDENT AND SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE MEMBER, ONE BANGALORE WEST People get addicted to gadgets because the real world is dull and boring. It often fails to compete with the digital one. People don't resist digital detox. They just need a better experience. Arun Chittilappilly As leaders, planners and creators, our job is to make offline life more meaningful, vibrant and worth showing up for. That's the kind of environment we should be building – one where digital balance is not enforced but enabled. Arun K Chittilappilly, Executive Chairman & MD, Wonderla Holidays
News18
2 days ago
- Climate
- News18
This Bengaluru Recruiter Rejected A Rs 40 LPA Candidate For Being ‘Too Logical'
Last Updated: Instead of offering a practical or intuitive response, the candidate took the question a bit too seriously, and he answered it with a logical explanation. A Bengaluru-based recruiter has sparked widespread discussion online after revealing an unusual reason for rejecting a candidate. In a now-viral LinkedIn post, the interviewer, Sandeep Lokanath, shared that he turned down a product manager applicant for a Rs 40 LPA role. The reason? He attempted to explain the city's unpredictable weather—"too logically". Sandeep Lokanath shared a post on LinkedIn and narrated how a simple, seemingly quirky question in the interview turned into an unexpected deal-breaker. The question was, 'How many days in a year should someone carry an umbrella in Bengaluru?" Instead of offering a practical or intuitive response, the candidate took the question a bit too seriously, and he answered it with a logical explanation. The interviewer further revealed, 'Whips out a notepad. Talks about monsoon trends, probability distributions, historical rainfall data, commute hour segmentation, complex test scenarios… and then proudly says, 'So, 55.7 days, with a 95 per cent confidence interval.'" But rather than being impressed, the interviewer looked at him and responded, 'Wrong." In the post, he goes on to explain why this hyper-rational answer didn't land well. 'Bengaluru is not just another city. You don't calculate rain here. You sense it in your bones. You carry an umbrella even on a sunny day, just in case," Sandeep wrote, pointing to the city's unpredictable weather patterns. He clarified that the candidate wasn't rejected due to poor math skills. In his post, the recruiter explained that the candidate was turned down because he attempted to 'reduce Bengaluru, a city of clouds, gardens, and surprises, to just another dot on the map." Speaking of Bengaluru rains, the city has officially logged its wettest May on record, with a cumulative rainfall of 307.9 mm between May 1 and May 26 (as of 11:30 am), according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). This breaks the previous record of 305.4 mm set in May 2023. With the IMD predicting light to moderate showers until May 31, Bengalureans might want to keep those umbrellas close. Prior to this, IMD data showed that May 2022 held the record with 270.4 mm of rainfall, followed by May 2017 with 241.9 mm and May 2018 with 239.8 mm. First Published:
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
What do Bengaluru's youth really care about?
Is activism dead in Bengaluru? I thought about this as I waded through knee-deep water in South Bengaluru. Once again, the rains are upon us, and once again, the city is waterlogged. Netizens in other cities are gleeful. Bengaluru gets half the rain of Mumbai, and has half the population, said one. Yet it suffers from more flooding than Mumbai, every time it rains. What will it take for this city to wake up and get BBMP to do its job? Am I living in Varthur or Venice, asked dancer Ramaa Bharadwaj on Facebook? We need gondolas to wade through our streets. Does Bengaluru lack the time or inclination to protest and seek good governance? Is it because we are an IT and tech city that keeps workers so busy that it induces brain fog for everything else? One citizen, though, has taken action. Dhivya Kiran, 43, from Richmond Town has served a 50-lakh legal notice to BBMP stating that he has suffered 'physical agony and emotional trauma,' directly because of Bengaluru's potholed and damaged roads. On May 14, his advocate KV Laveen served a legal notice that lists physical and emotional pain directly caused by Bengaluru's roads: jerky stop and go traffic resulting in 'severe neck and back pain,' that had him make four emergency trips to the hospital and orthopaedic doctors. Well done, I say. Finally. It is not as if Bengaluru doesn't have citizen groups. The list is long. There are organisations like Oorvani which publishes Citizen Matters, a great read for those who want to keep in touch with civic action groups and their activities. I Change Indiranagar, HSR Citizen Forum and other flourishing neighbourhood Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) mobilise their neighbourhoods. National organisations like Janaagraha began in Bangalore. Some offer channels of intersection between government and society: Bangalore Political Action Group (BPAC), Rise up for Rights, Friends of Lakes and others come to mind. In addition, groups like Namma Bengaluru Foundation, Aravani Art Project, CIVIC Bangalore, Flourishing Bengaluru Collective, and many others also attempt to make governance accountable. What is interesting though is that many of these efforts are spearheaded by land-owning, home-owning middle-aged folks. Remember when colleges were the hotbed of protests? Well, that doesn't seem to happen in Bengaluru; which leads me to the question: what do Bengaluru's youth care about? What uniquely animates Bengaluru's youth relative to say Delhi, Mumbai, Shanghai or San Francisco? Sure, all these cities have ambitious, insecure, anxious, eco-conscious, evolved young people. Some even ditch their jobs to volunteer, write poetry, climb mountains, and start companies. The problem though is the immigrant nature of Bengaluru's population. Attend any launch event in Central Bengaluru, and you'll hear Hindi, not Kannada. Upwardly mobile Bengalureans, it seems, are from elsewhere. They throng to Bengaluru, attracted by its cosmopolitan populace, great weather and startup culture. Bengaluru thus has become a city of immigrants, where nobody takes ownership of its issues (save a few patron saints of lost causes). Why would people protest when Bengaluru seems better than where they came from? The second reason for this lack of activism is what the city does to your psyche. At the end of the day, Bengalureans like many South Indians are not inherently flashy. We keep it down-and-low. Our humble-bragging and hustling is restricted to LinkedIn. This is the problem. Where is the time to protest and join parades when you are happy eating benne dose in CTR or bird-watching in Cubbon Park? The simmering prolonged discontentment that needs to happen in order for collective action to take place simply doesn't exist here because the Bengalurean is inherently live-and-let-live in nature. But back to the question: what do Bengaluru's youth care about? If I had to pick one, I would say that they yearn for community, perhaps because they move here sans family or friends, to get a job, most often at a startup, where they are surrounded by rootless folks just like them. If you are in your 20s or 30s in Bangalore, you learn quickly to join groups, to speed-date, to attend art, yoga, journaling or hand-pan music workshops, improv theatre classes, and niche clubs for board games, manga, anime and quiz. All that coding during the day must result in a longing for something physical and sexual because dance classes are huge, ranging from pole dancing to salsa to get this— lap dancing. It seems that finally, a city that was defined by tech is learning to embrace the humanities, and here lies my hope. In order to save the world, you have to read Homer and enjoy Keats. You have to read UR Ananthamurthy and Kuvempu, attend Shivarama Karanth's yakshagana revivals, learn to draw like Hebbar and attend performances under Chowdiah's violin. The humanities humanise us. They make us care. They allow for empathy. If you are sitting in a cubicle, you won't care about the woman wading through water. The great thing about the comeback of the arts into Bengaluru's ecosystem is that it offers hope for a more empathetic society. Cross pollination between the worlds of art and tech may nudge us to collectively demand better governance from our politicians and bureaucrats. So yes, activism may have been dead in Bengaluru during the go-go years of IT. But thanks to art, theatre and music, it may well make a comeback. (Shoba Narayan is Bengaluru-based award-winning author. She is also a freelance contributor who writes about art, food, fashion and travel for a number of publications.)
The Hindu
5 days ago
- General
- The Hindu
No public-friendly markets or market-friendly waste disposal in Bengaluru
Nothing beats the unbearable stench that hits you while stepping into an open vegetable market in Bengaluru. But if you somehow bypass those mountains of rotting wet waste, a labyrinthine mess of slushy pathways awaits you inside. This is nauseatingly real as monsoon has got here in full force. The time for a cleanup job was yesterday. Trapped in the muck is a system that is critical for lakhs of Bengalureans to keep their kitchens afloat. The ugly sight repeats in markets across the city. From Banashankari Market on Kanakapura Road to the HAL Market off Old Airport Road, from Malleswaram to Madiwala, the neglect is stark. But the issues go far beyond big gaps in waste management. Poor maintenance and infrastructural gaps have, for instance, left the once thriving HAL Market in a sorry state today. Yes, the huge wet waste pile right inside the market is symbolic of all that has gone wrong. But walk in deeper, and the full extent of the poor upkeep becomes obvious. The pathways are barely walkable, filled with slush after every rain. Beyond the busy weekends that exacerbate the chaos, the market is virtually empty on weekdays. Haphazard waste management Bengaluru Praja Vedike founder Mukunda N.S. says that poor waste management is the fundamental problem with the markets. 'The waste has to be cleared effectively, not in a haphazard manner,' he says. 'There should be a permanent mechanism in all the markets, where the waste is cleared every two hours. The frequency should be even higher during festival times. The waste collectors should be stationed there itself,' he elaborates. The market waste, he says, should be transported to the processing centres through a system that is infallible. 'The BBMP is now charging a fee for Solid Waste Management from everybody, including bulk generators. Let them collect and use the money there. The waste collection and transport process should be monitored by a committee. Some checks and balances have to be devised to ensure payment only after satisfactory completion of the work.' Trash is a big problem at the Banashankari open market, which extends on the footpath along the Kanakpura Road between two Metro Stations. The waste accumulates by the hour, but is cleared only twice a day or less. To streamline waste collection and address congestion and chaos, the Praja Vedike had suggested building an underground plaza at Banashankari Circle with space for 150 stalls and eight exits. But this proposal made to former Minister R. Ashoka was not followed up, recalls Mukunda. Rampant use of plastic The rampant use of plastic has emerged as a key issue with the markets. Shanthi Tummala, a founding member of the HSR Citizen's Forum and a member of the Solid Waste Management Round Table (SWMRT), says plastic was the main pain point why she stopped going to the Madiwala market. 'It has been nine years since the plastic ban came into force, in 2016. I don't understand why the markets are not getting rid of plastic. As a sustainability practitioner and motivator, I feel de-motivated and depressed,' she laments. The solution is simple, she notes. 'All vendors should come on one page and say they will not give plastic covers. Within a week, the change will come. Most people who come to the markets are regular customers who buy vegetables for the entire week. Once they realise they don't get plastic covers, they will get their own bags. Besides, a stall should sell cloth and paper bags. Let customers spend ₹20-30, and get that bag every time.' Pushcart vendors, Shanthi points out, save ₹3,000 per month when they don't give plastic covers. 'Imagine how much the Madiwala market vendors can save. What is required is they should all come on one page. They should make it a habit.' Process wet waste locally Besides, the wet waste generated should be processed locally, right inside the market premises. As she puts it, 'A strict initiative should be launched. Tax payers' money should be spent on sustainable waste management. Let them take up composting or biogas or whatever. Let them take it as a challenge and install this in one market as a pilot to start with.' Lack of a planned, structured approach has left several open markets morph into chaotic congestion magnets. Crying out for attention are markets in Hebbal and K.R. Puram, where wholesale supply vehicles, heavy traffic and vendor outlets trigger extreme congestion. 'Located right next to the main road, the Hebbal market is very crowded. And with the flyover and Metro works in progress, the entire place is dirty, disorganised and in a big mess,' says Shabina Jinarajan, a Hebbal resident and teacher, stressing on the dire need for segregated markets with proper parking and waste clearance. Underground market issues An underground market – an air-conditioned one at that – opened with much fanfare in Vijayanagar, has run into problems. Modeled after New Delhi's iconic Palika Bazar, the city's Palike Bazar has reportedly been taken over by more than 25 vendors without official allotment by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). Built at a cost of ₹13 crore, the market was opened to the public in August 2024. But nobody goes there, notes Vinay K. Sreenivasa from the Alternative Law Forum, a long-time campaigner for vendor rights and welfare. 'It is an absolute waste. The market has no proper ventilation or proper toilets. They had cut many trees to build that. Instead of the money spent on the AC structure, they could have refurbished the roadside market next to the Metro Station for about ₹50 lakh,' he contends. The old market had grown organically over the last three decades with local residents as the main customers. Most of the Palike's built markets are now being demolished. 'They are trying to build multi-storied markets, which is not working. In Malleswaram, they demolished the flower market. It was old but could have been refurbished. It was open and had air circulation. Now, how will you sell flowers in a multi-storied building? Who will climb three floors to buy flowers? The building is now incomplete, and the vendors are on the road. They were shopkeepers before. They also demolished the market near Cox Town,' notes Vinay.
